Method of and apparatus for folding napkins



Aug. 30, 1932. c. c; WILLIS 2 METHOD OF AND, APPARATUS FOR- OLDING mrm 'ns I Filed July 21, 19:51, s Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug, 30, 19.32. c; w Lu 1,874,728

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING NAPKINS I Filed July 21, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n e o o fl o o as 1932- I I c. c. WILLIS 1,874,728

IETHOD OF A ND APPARATUS FOR FOLDING NAPKINS .Ffiled July 21 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Patented Aug. 30, 1932 Ni T b il -TeTF PA E T Q I CHARLES c. WILLIS, F nrzwaanulvswrox, NEWJERSEY, Assreivonmo aonnwALnRoN- on NEW BRUNSWICK; NEW JERSEY, A conronArron" on NEW CORPORATION, JERSEY Application filed July 21,

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for forming paper napkins from a continuous sheet of material.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a paper napkin for use in dispensing containers so folded that double thickness grasping portionsare provided at each edge of the napkin without regard to .WlllCll face of the napkin. is disposed outwardly in the container and in which, furthermore, such double thickness grasping portions are disposed at both sides of the napkin so that they may be conveniently grasped with either hand. A further object of the invention is the provisionof an apparatus for use in folding such napkins, and more particularly in the modification of the structure shown in the prior application of John S. Burt, Serial No. 495,259, filed November 12, 1930, for,

paper napkin embossing printing and folding machine, to enable napkins folded in this manner to be produced thereby.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings wherein, for the purpose of illustration,

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of folding apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof; v r

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a portion of the sheet from which the napkins are formed, 5 the dotted line indicating the line of first fold therein; V

Fig. 4: is a perspective of the portion of the sheet after formation of such fold and showing by dotted lines the lines of secondary fold;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the strip formed by the secondary folding, the dotted line indicating the line of transverse fold; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the folded napkin.

' Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a pair of feed rolls by means of which a paper sheet S withdrawn from a suitable roll, not herein shown, is caused to pass down- METHOD ornnnlarraiurusron 50mm Nerkms' i 1e31, Serial No. 552,275,. r

wardly over a plow which for-m s the primary central fold therein along a line approximately indicatedyby the construction line'F of Fig. 3. From the plow point'thej now foldedsheetFQS. is drawn by said feed rolls over the roller'12about a roller '13,and' through an edge folder l4, thesheet between the roller 12 and the feed rolls moving ap' proximately horizontally. The roller 1 3*is approximately the same width as the width of the folded napkin which it is :desired to l produce and which is of less width than the folded sheet F. S. produced as above as;

scribed. The folder 14: is disposed between the feed rolls and'roller" 13, and tur s'back:

the edges of the foldedsheet F. S. upon lines duce a strip S. T. such as clearly sliown'in Fig. 5. Thisstrip S. T. .is then foldedalong the transverse line F +4 by a combined fold- 'ingand' cutting mechanism 15 which is prefthat the reverted edges of the strip S T; of

i 5. e spos at-the fe e o t folded napkin,"its edgesforming grasp-ing" portions 20 extending inwardly from o pm site edges ofthe folded napkin without reg gard to which face of the napkin is inward ly' disposed when the same {replaced the container. Furthermore,these rasping portions since they projectinwar ly from opposite edges of the napkin arereadily en}, gageable from either side" and by either hand,

and such grasping portions, due to the fact;-

that the" sheet is initially centrally-folded,

are offdouble thickness and, accordingly, afford sufficient strength to preventtearing; of the napkin as" withdrawn from container.

The tucking blade 18 serves tov insert the strip S. T. between the jaws 17 atthe center of the terminal portion of the'strip which is of a length equal to the length of the desired napkin. 'By mechanism not herein disclosed the free end of the strip .is then blown back so that it trails, from the jaws 17 in which it is engaged, the following knife 19' as it passes the stationary blade 19a coacts therewith to sever the napkin from the strip.

- Since the construction hereinbefore set I forth is obviously capableof modification without in any mannerdeparting from the l spirit of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto exceptashereinafter claimed. 7

"I claim;

1. The method ofproducing folded paper napkins from a sheet consisting in folding 20 V the, sheet with a plurality of longitudinal folds to produce a multilayer strip the edge portions of which are folded back on. the strip .at a common side thereof and have their edges spaced in a direction transverse to the strip and then transversely folding the strip with said side outwardly. r

.2. The method of producing folded napkins from a continuous sheet consisting in folding. the sheet with a plurality of longitudinal folds to produce a multilayer strip" the edge portions of which are folded back on the strip at a common side thereof andhave their edges spaced in a direction transverse to the strip, then transversely folding the strip with said side outwardly at apoint spaced from the end of the strip a distance 7 equal to one-half the length of the desired napkin and finally severing the folded portion from the strip in alignment with the free edge of the folded portion.

3. In apparatus ,for folding napkins and the like, means for feeding a sheet'c'ompris ing feed rolls, a horn over which the sheet is drawn by the feed roll's to thereby produce a central fold in the sheet, an edge folder between the fedrollsand said horn and ineluding means for folding the edges of the sheet back upon the sheet prior to their pas sage through the feed roll to thereby produce a folded strip 1 and a folder receiving the folded strip fromthefeed rolls and includingmeans for transversely folding thestrip at. a point spaced fromthe end thereof and for severing the folded portion fromthe strip alignment with said end after the fold.- f

' i ln apparatus for folding napkins andv the like, means for feeding a sheet comprising feed rolls, a horn over which the sheet" is drawn by the feed rolls, a roll adjacent.

the horn. and over which the'folded sheet passes, a roller transversely spaced'from the first-named roller receiving the folded sheet from said first-named roller, the last-named roller having a width less than the width of severing the folded portion from the remainder of the strip.--

o ARLn s o. wiLLIs. 

